Dozens of soldiers accompanied a group of extremist Israeli colonists into the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied East Jerusalem, Sunday, and conducted provocative tours, before abducting a guard of the holy site.

The Islamic Waqf and Endowment Department in Jerusalem said the soldiers abducted Khalil Tarhouni, from the mosque, and took him to an interrogation center in the city.

It added that the reasons behind abducting the guard remain unknown, especially since there were no confrontations in the mosque and its courtyards.

His abduction came after groups of extremist Israeli colonists, accompanied by dozens of soldiers invaded the Mosque’s courtyards, from Bab ar-Rahma, the eastern gate of the mosque.

On Sunday at dawn, the soldiers invaded several Palestinian communities in the southern West Bank governorate of Hebron, searched and ransacked many homes, and abducted eight Palestinians , including two children, in addition to summoning four others for interrogation.

Also at dawn, the soldiers invaded several areas in the West Bank governorate of Bethlehem, stormed and violently searched homes, before abducting three Palestinians , and summoned one for interrogation.

In the besieged Gaza Strip, Israeli navy ships opened fire on fishing boats , in Palestinian territorial waters, in the northern part of the coastal region.